On Monday, July 21, we will begin our Warlords raid testing with one Heroic encounter from Highmaul, and one from Blackrock Foundry. As this is the very first raid test of the beta, it is quite possible that there will be technical or gameplay issues that disrupt the testing. Thank you in advance for your patience and understanding.

Remember that Heroic difficulty scales for any group size between 10 and 30 players, so feel free to assemble and bring a group of any size within that range. Our general plan is to test every encounter on Heroic difficulty first, and then test sections of the raid on Normal and Raid Finder, alongside targeted Mythic tests.

Each encounter should be available at approximately the listed times below on all Beta servers.

As always, this testing schedule is very fluid and subject to the realities of a beta environment. We might have to change the time of a testing session, change the boss being tested, or cancel a test entirely, due to bugs, server hardware issues, etc. Keep an eye on this forum for the latest information, and thank you in advance for testing and providing feedback.

Important Testing Notes

Q:How do I get into the raid zone?A: In Stormwind, Orgrimmar, and your garrison, you may speak to Nexus-Lord Donjon Rade in order to teleport into the raid zone while it is open for testing. (The option to teleport into a zone will not be available when the zone is not open for testing.)

Q:What character should I use to test the raid?A: Whichever you prefer. We will be scaling players' effective level to 100 for raid testing, and their item level to an appropriate threshold for the encounter(s) being tested.

Q:How long does testing last?A: The primary purpose of testing is to give us the information we need to balance the encounters, evaluate how mechanics are playing out in practice, and identify bugs. Once we're satisfied that we've received that information for a given boss, we'll be shutting down testing. Usually this takes anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours, but there are no guarantees.

Blue Tweets

Originally Posted by Blizzard Entertainment

ClassesProblem is, you will want to fill in as many gcds as possible. Playing the #waiting game for resources is bad design.
Your first statement is mostly true, assuming that's optimal DPS. Second is only sometimes true; see Rogues/Ferals. (Celestalon)Watched energy while waiting, and inevitably was around 40-45 energy when I needed it (sometimes as low as 30-35).
Sounds great. (Celestalon)

Druid (Forums / Skills / Talent Calculator)what's supposed to give mana back as boomkin, was doing signle target and went oom? What did I do wrong?
They should never run OOM doing just DPS. Mana regen for them is all passive now. (Celestalon)

Hunter (Forums / Skills / Talent Calculator)Don't normally like posting these but http://t.co/TLmiyDCqoa any thoughts on that suggestion?
We're raising Lock and Load's duration to 30sec, and giving Survival an additional 10% baseline multistrike chance to help. (Celestalon)More charges and a longer duration will be great though. Concern is just that you almost cant hold them without dropping DPS 2/2
It will be a slight *sustained* DPS loss to pool them, in exchange for a significant *burst* DPS gain. (Celestalon)

Monk (Forums / Skills / Talent Calculator)Ascention and haste are far from solving it. we had the same problem in first tier of MoP with 40 energy jabs
Not being GCD capped is not a problem for an energy class. Energy classes should generally be Energy-capped, not GCD-cap. (Celestalon)

Paladin (Forums / Skills / Talent Calculator)Can we expect any changes to Seraphim soon? Currently it is by far the weakest level 100 talent choice for Ret.
We'll get to it in tuning. (Celestalon)

Warrior (Forums / Skills / Talent Calculator)With you having to cut down a warrior ability for rage dump why was HS dropped and not WS.
Because cutting WS and not HS results in a ton of deadtime in your rotation; feels extremely slow. (Celestalon)

Challenge ModesHow about disabling sockets or at least make gems scale as well ? Raid gear was overpowered for CM b/ce of sockets, vs 463
Yep. The way sockets work in 6.0 (optional bonus property) means that we can solve CM power creep from gems. (WatcherDev)Is this implying "bonus" sockets will be disabled in CM's? What about other bonuses?
Right, gems won't count towards CM stats (like how the Sha-touched gem didn't in 5.x). (WatcherDev)

PvEIs the buff for soloing old raids coming in the Pre-Patch 6.0? #Warlords
Yeah, it's not a "buff" so much as a core change to the combat ruleset for fighting lower-level creatures. (WatcherDev)Will Mists lvl 93 bosses be effected by this when we are lvl 100? So we can solo Mists raids?
No, Mists endgame wasn't squished. Some will likely be able to solo Mists raids at 100, the way some can solo Cata raids now. (WatcherDev)I expect the solo ability to remain consistent: harder the closer you are to current cap, easier the older it is
Yes, goal is for everything to feel exactly as if no squish ever happened. (WatcherDev)

PvPThe CC damage threshold on beta is much smaller than live. It reminds me of Wrath which I enjoyed. Is it going to stay this way?
Yes it should (holinka)

Lore-game lore is often debated, but can this be cleared up? Tides of War=No prisoners/civies is wrong or was it lvl designer choice?
The Theramore civilians may not have come from that battle. They may have been captured in S. Barrens or Dustwallow. (DaveKosak)

Will we find out what made Khadgar de-age and have Atiesh? Is he “our” Khadgar?
Not de-aged. Just freshly-shaved. (DaveKosak)Amazing how much better Azeroth razors are than Outland! I guess Fel Iron can’t get that close
Haha "First blade lifts hair, second blade cuts it, third blade sears and cauterizes flesh for an incredibly close shave." (DaveKosak)

Wowcraft - Warsong Gulch
The latest two Wowcraft episodes take a look at Warsong Gulch.

Warlords of Draenor - Death Knight Tier 17 Armor Sets
Today we are taking a look at the Death Knight Tier 17 sets, now complete with the Mythic set that was added in the latest alpha build.

Warlords of Draenor changes things up slightly by using one set of art for Raid Finder, one set of art for Normal and Heroic, and one set of art for Mythic difficulty. You can find the Raid Finder armor sets in our Raid Finder armor sets preview.

Warlords of Draenor - New Character Model Animations
Muffinus reminded everyone that animations on several of the new character models aren't final and still a work in progress, so don't worry if your favorite new model isn't perfect just yet!

Blue Post - Where is WoW Going?

Originally Posted by Blizzard
(Blue Tracker / Official Forums)

It's an interesting question!

If we stay on a steady course we would be a game with ever increasing complexity. More and more abilities, more systems, and more and more choices, all layered on top of each other--to a point where it would be impossible to realistically develop the game. We have to be constantly mindful not only of what we're implementing that's new, but of allowing systems to grow increasingly complex over time. Expansions are always a good time to take stock of the systems we have, the complexity that exists, and be really critical of ourselves and the choices we've made that got us to where we are. Two of our big design philosophies as a company are "concentrated coolness", and creating compelling gameplay through interesting choices (vs. lots of choices for the sake of having lots of them). These tend to overlap a lot, especially in the case of ability bloat, which we're trying to reign in specifically in Warlords.

To your point about talent trees, they weren't concentrated or cool. There were a bunch of buttons, and most of them were things like 2% increases to stats. They definitely felt more "gamey", like you were smart for figuring out interesting builds, but at the end of the day there was effectively one or two right answers, and figuring out interesting builds for the most part meant you were actually just sub-optimal and didn't know it. Many dozens of insanely smart designers played/worked on/gave feedback on the old talent trees for years and years, and we went through a lot of changes and iterations, and we came to the long-time-coming conclusion that talent trees just don't work for us and the types of systems we present in our games. We keep that learning experience with us.

Anyway, back to the real topic, it's no ones fault but our own that systems become increasingly complex over time, and so it's our job to be mindful of when systems are becoming overly complex and bloated with choices that aren't interesting or fun. It's normal and healthy to stop, take a moment, take a close look at what you're doing, and if those are the right choices. Constantly charging ahead with no self introspection leads to a situation that is less and less manageable, and potentially dangerous or damaging.

Deep and engaging gameplay doesn't need lots of choices to be fun as long as the choices are interesting, and feel rewarding when you make one.

Beasts of the Savage Lands - Shadowmoon Valley

Originally Posted by Blizzard
(Blue Tracker / Official Forums)

The lush Shadowmoon Valley appears peaceful and idyllic, lulling many would-be adventurers into a false sense of security as they explore its rolling hills and violet forests. But countless hidden perils lie waiting behind the tranquil façade, and only those well-armed with knowledge can hope to survive. What dangers lurk in the shadows?

Riverbeasts
Adventurers are often misled by the seemingly docile riverbeasts. Though slow to anger, once disturbed, a charging riverbeast is a ferocious sight: 4,000 pounds of fat and muscle storming toward its target like a runaway tram. Roaming draenei rangari have long been astounded by how much damage a rampaging riverbeast can take before it’s brought down, and draenei children are taught to keep a wide berth of shallow waters. Riverbeasts are characterized by their rock-like skin, likely developed during the early days of Draenor’s prehistory, when creatures of stone dueled for supremacy against the chaotic flora. Those looking to take a riverbeast as a trophy should take note of their durable armored flesh and tendency to charge unexpectedly.

Podlings
A number of Draenor’s indigenous species blur the line between plant and animal, and the so-called podlings are the most vicious and chaotic of their ilk. Small and seemingly harmless, they work together to capture their prey, attacking only when they have numerical superiority. Explorers who pay attention to the color of podlings’ flowering buds can ascertain whether they favor poison, ensnaring, or physical attacks to incapacitate their victims. Once podlings have overwhelmed their quarry, they will drag the unlucky creature down into the weeds to fertilize a new generation. The clear lesson for adventurers: looks can be deceiving!

Elekk
The majestic elekk graze contentedly across the grassy plains of Draenor, relying on their huge size and the support of the herd to keep predators at bay. Draenei explorers have determined that the animals pose no threat, as long as their young aren’t endangered or their water supply jeopardized. With the endurance to cover great distances and the ability to defend themselves by ramming or stomping attackers, these beasts have emerged as the draenei transport of choice. Explorers should take note of persistent draenei rumors that the Thunderlord Clan orcs torment and twist terrified elekk into vicious weapons of war, covering them in armor plating and inciting them to rampage when turned loose on their foes. Beware!

Draenor Ancients
It was only very recently that draenei rangari managed to communicate with these enormous sentient trees, but wildly different ways of life—not to mention a completely different perception of time—have made further interaction difficult. The ancients get their name from their analogues on Azeroth; they are tied closely to a prehistoric plant lineage that unites much of Draenor’s flora and places them in opposition to the creatures of stone. These enigmatic ancients remain in the same area for hundreds of years and are reluctant to move unless their home is threatened. Adventurers should be cautious when harvesting the valley’s lumber, as they may find the forest fighting back.

Shadowmoon Valley is a dangerous place, but there are many deadly threats still to be discovered across the savage world of Draenor. Until next time, stay alive . . . if you can.

US Connected Realms - Update 7/18

Originally Posted by Blizzard
(Blue Tracker / Official Forums)

As previously announced, we’ve been working toward connecting realms to increase the number of players on low-population realms. Here's a continuously updated list that contains currently planned connections, future plans, and completed realm connections, all in one convenient location.

*Please note this list does not encompass all potential future connections. Please check back for further updates.

Next Connections
We will be connecting the realms listed below on Thursday, July 24 during a scheduled maintenance beginning at 5 a.m. PDT through approximately 1:00 p.m. PDT. Once maintenance is finished, these realm connections will be complete.

Deathwing and Executus, Kalecgos, and Shattered Halls

Gilneas and Elune

We will be connecting the realms listed below on Thursday, July 31 during a scheduled maintenance beginning at 5 a.m. PDT through approximately 1:00 p.m. PDT. Once maintenance is finished, these realm connections will be complete.

Malfurion and Trollbane

Ravenholdt and Twisting Nether

The Venture Co and Maelstrom

Future Connections
We do not have a date for the following realm connections, but will update this post when we do.

Shadowmoon and Detheroc

*Plans for these connections may change at any time, but we’ll provide additional updates on specific dates for future connections here as we can. Please note that as a part of the connection process realm times may change to match each other.

EU Connected Realms Update - 18/07

Originally Posted by Blizzard
(Blue Tracker)

The following realms are due to be connected on 23 July:

English Realms

(PvE) Lightbringer and Mazrigos

(PvP) Dentarg and Tarren Mill

German Realms

(PvE) Norgannon and Dun Morogh

(PvP) Nefarian and Nera'thor

Russian Realms

(PvP) Пиратская бухта and Ткач смерти

The following realms are due to be connected after the realms above:

English Realms

(PvE) Bronzebeard and Aerie Peak

German Realms

(PvP) Mannoroth and Nefarian/Nera'thor

Russian Realms

(PvP) Гром and Термоштепсель

Plans for these connections may change at any time. We’ll provide additional updates for future connections here as soon as we can.

Diminishing Returns in Warlords of Draenor

Originally Posted by Blizzard
(Blue Tracker / Official Forums)

The following is an updated list of diminishing returns categories for crowd control effects in the Warlords of Draenor expansion. For additional details on CC changes in Warlords of Draenor, check out the "Crowd Control and Diminishing Returns" section of the official patch notes.

RootsDeath Knight

Chains of Ice (with Chilblains)

Druid

Entangling Roots

Mass Entanglement

Hunter

Charge (Tenacity pet)

Entrapment

Narrow Escape

Mage

Freeze Water Elemental

Frost Nova

Ice Ward

Monk

Disable

Priest

Glyph of Mind Blast

Void Tendrils

Shaman

Earthgrab Totem

Frost Shock (with Frozen Power)

Warrior

Charge

Staggering Shout

SilencesDeath Knight

Strangulate

Druid

Glyph of Fae Silence

Mage

Frostjaw

Paladin

Avenger's Shield

Priest

Silence

Rogue

Garrote

Racial

Arcane Torrent

StunsDeath Knight

Asphyxiate

Gnaw (Ghoul)

Monstrous Blow (Ghoul w/ Dark Transformation active)

Remorseless Winter

Druid

Bear Hug

Maim

Mighty Bash

Pounce

Hunter

Binding Shot

Intimidation

Mage

Deep Freeze

Monk

Charging Ox Wave

Fists of Fury

Leg Sweep

Paladin

Fist of Justice

Hammer of Justice

Holy Wrath

Rogue

Cheap Shot

Kidney Shot

Shaman

Pulverize (Primal Earth Elemental)

Static Charge (Capacitor Totem)

Warlock

Axe Toss (Felguard)

Shadowfury

Summon Infernal

Warrior

Shockwave

Storm Bolt

Racial

War Stomp

KnockbacksDeath Knight

Gorefiend's Grasp

Druid

Typhoon

Ursol's Vortex

Hunter

Glyph of Explosive Trap

Shaman

Thunderstorm

Warlock

Fellash

Whiplash

DisorientsDruid

Cyclone

Paladin

Turn Evil

Priest

Psychic Scream

Rogue

Blind

Warlock

Fear

Howl of Terror

Mesmerize (Shivarra pet)

Seduction (Succubus pet)

Warrior

Intimidating Shout

IncapacitatesDruid

Incapacitating Roar

Hunter

Freezing Trap

Wyvern Sting

Mage

Dragon's Breath

Polymorph

Ring of Frost

Monk

Glyph of Breath of Fire

Paralysis

Ring of Peace

Paladin

Repentance

Priest

Dominate Mind

Holy Word: Chastise

Psychic Horror

Rogue

Gouge

Sap

Shaman

Hex

Warlock

Banish

Racial

Quaking Palm

Blue Tweets

Originally Posted by Blizzard Entertainment

ClassesHunter (Forums / Skills / WoD Talent Calculator)Dislike Sniper Training. Not fun imo. A class that has a dmg-on-the-move niche is now discouraged from moving.
Not "discouraged from moving", but rather "encouraged to move strategically." Big difference. (Celestalon)

PvPPlease make Conquest cap obtainable in Ashran (if slow). Plenty of us want high-end pvp in the world outside of 2v2-10v10.
There will be ways to get conquest in Ashran but no way to increase your cap. (holinka)

Any plans/intention to stop melee dominance on beta? Do you agree that their mobility and caster lockdown is too good?
Definitely an issue we continue to discuss. Solid feedback is starting to come through. Keep it coming. (holinka)

old pvp battlegrounds getting changed any? i still loathe warsong gulch. would love it as a single building ctf. close quarters.
We wouldn't make such a drastic change. But it could use a visual update and some graveyard fixes. (holinka)

Using seamless transfer tech to run/balance Ashran separately from rest of Draenor. People in your Ashran should be drawn from the same pool of players as your CRZ group. So no crossover between PvP, PvE, RP, and RP PvP realms. What's less clear is exactly how to balance it. Need to cap population per "instance" on some realms. Should say "realm groups". Sorry. What exactly this pop is, and what to do when we exceed is something we're testing on Beta. So play Ashran and give feedback. We'll be watch Ashran server perf to see how to balance pop vs. lag. (kurtismcc)
key takeaway is that the Ashran battle takes place in a completely different instance than the faction city (nite_moogle)
Yeah, I think the cities are just outside. Ashran is convenient, but not integrated. (kurtismcc)

GarrisonsWill Garrisons get holiday decorations like towns and cities do?
Would love to do this, takes a lot of time to set up, we'll see! (Muffinus)

Misc
In other news, today we successfully hotfixed two spawn changes on beta that previously would have required restartsI am probably in the minority but I find all the tech changes in WoD absolutely fascinating.
You'd be surprised how much tech is refactored quietly in the background. We're constantly trying to improve even the oldest code (SeTec9)

Warlords of Draenor - Faction HubsBashiok explained more of the reasoning behind the choice of the faction hub location today.

Ashran and the Mekkatorque PvP Server
With today’s new build, we’re activating Ashran on the Mekkatorque PvP server! As the rest of Draenor remains inaccessible on Mekkatorque, we’re also opening up some temporary portals to the Ashran staging areas in Stormwind and Orgrimmar. You'll find the the portal to Stormshield next to the Auction House in Stormwind’s Trade District, and the portal to Warspear near Grommash Hold in Orgrimmar’s Valley of Strength. (Blue Tracker / Official Forums)

Is Draenor on Fire? Defeat Gug'rokk without killing any Unstable Slag in Bloodmaul Slag Mines on Heroic difficulty. 10 points.

Souls of the Lost Defeat Ner'zhul after having slain two of Ner'zhul's chosenslaying Ritual of Bones skeletons within 5 seconds of each other, in Shadowmoon Burial Grounds on Heroic difficulty. 10 points.

Weed Whacker Name Changed from Weed Wacker to Weed Whacker. Defeat Yalnu without any Kirin Tor Battle-Mages dying in The Everbloom on Heroic Difficulty.10 points.

Item - Death Knight WoD PvP Frost 4P Bonus When you have Freezing Fog active, your next Howling Blast will apply Biting Cold to all targets it hits. Biting Cold increases Frost damage taken by 1,000% for8 sec.increase Frost damage taken on all targets by 10% for 8 sec.

Item - Shaman T17 Enhancement 4P Bonus While Feral Spirits is active, you also turn into a Feral Spirit. Your Stormstrike, Windfury, and movement speed are improved.While you are transformed, you move 25% faster, and your wolves can proc Windfury.

Glyph of Chimera ShotIncreases the healing you receive from Chimera Shot by an additionalSuccessful Chimera Shots now also heal you for 2% of your maximum health. Major Glyph.

Glyph of Frostbrand Weapon Name Changed from Glyph of Frostflame Weapon to Glyph of Frostbrand Weapon. While your weapon is imbued with Flametongue Weapon, yourYour off-hand weapon attacks also slow the target's movement speed by 50% for 3 sec. Major Glyph.

Glyph of Mind Harvest The first time you damage an enemy with Mind Blast, you gain 50 additional Orbs. Major Glyph.2 additional Orbs. Major Glyph.

Rune Tap now has a 2.5 sec cooldown, up from 0.5 sec. Now reduces all damage taken by 50% for 3 sec rather than granting an absorb shield equal to 30% of your missing health.

Will of the Necropolis now grants an immediate, free Rune Tap, but no longer reduces all damage taken by 25% for 4 sec.

Major Glyphs

Glyph of the Ice ReaperReaping is now also triggered by your Chains of Ice. Major Glyph.The Runes you spend on Chains of Ice will become Death Runes when they activate. Death Runes count as any type of rune. Major Glyph.

Empowered Moonkin Name Changed from Enhanced Owlkin Frenzy to Empowered Moonkin. Triggering Owlkin Frenzy also makesSingle-target attacks against you in Moonkin Form have a 15% chance make your next damage or healing spell cast within 10 sec instant.instant cast. Requires Moonkin Form.

Improved Moonfire now has spec specific tooltips, no longer mentioning Sunfire for Feral, Guardian, and Restoration.

Enhanced Faerie Fire Name Changed from Enhanced Bear Hug to Enhanced Faerie Fire. You are no longer immobilized by using Bear Hug.While in you are in Bear Form, Faerie Fire no longer has a cooldown and deals 100% increased damage.

Soul of the ForestCasting Swiftmend grants 50% haste for your next spellcast. Druid - LvL 60 Talent.When you cast Swiftmend, you gain Soul of the Forest. Soul of the Forest reduces the cast time of your next Healing Touch by 100%, or increases the healing of your next Regrowth, Wild Growth, or Rejuvenation by 0%. Druid - LvL 60 Talent.

Enhanced PyrotechnicsWhenEach time your Fireball or Frostfire Bolt failfails to critically strike a target, you gain a 5% increased chance for Fireball or Frostfire Bolt to be a critical strike for 15 secthose spells gain a stacking 5% increased critical strike chance. This effect ends when Fireball or Frostfire Bolt successfully critically strike a target.critically strikes a target.

Talents

Flameglow Protects you with fiery energy, absorbing up to [ 22%[ 30% of Fire Spell Power ] damage from each attack against you. Mage - LvL 30 Talent.up to 30% of each attack. Mage - LvL 30 Talent.

Unstable Magic (Arcane) Arcane Blast, Fireball, Frostfire Bolt, and Frostbolt have a 15% chance to explode on impact, dealing an additional 50%20% damage to the target, and to all other enemies within 8 yards.

Unstable Magic (Fire) Arcane Blast, Fireball, Frostfire Bolt, and Frostbolt have a 30% chance to explode on impact, dealing an additional 50%20% damage to the target, and to all other enemies within 8 yards.

Unstable Magic (Frost) Arcane Blast, Fireball, and Frostbolt have a 50%, Frostfire Bolt, and Frostbolt have a 20% chance to explode on impact, dealing an additional 50%20% damage to the target, and to all other enemies within 8 yards.

Sacred Shield Protects the target with a shield of Holy Light for 30 sec, absorbing up to [ 122.9%[ 130.6% of Holy Spell Power ] damage every 6 sec. Only one target can be affected at a time. Limited to 1 target. Paladin - LvL 45 Talent. 40 yd range. Instant. 6 sec cooldown.

Major Glyphs

Glyph of the Battle Healer Melee attacks from Inner Light heal the most wounded member of your raid or partywhile Seal of Insight is active no longer heal you, but instead heal a random injured member of your party or raid for 45% of the normal heal instead of you. Major Glyph.amount. Major Glyph.

Empowered Archangel Name Changed from Enhanced Strength of Soul to Empowered Archangel. Strength of Soul can also trigger from Penance.The next Prayer of Healing you cast after activating Archangel has 100% increased critical strike chance.

Improved Heal Increases the amount healed by your Heal by 20%.healing from your Heal by 20%.

Enhanced Shadow Word: DeathWhen Shadow Word: Death's cooldown is reset due to not killing a target, the resulting Shadow Word: Death cast can generate a Shadow Orb.Shadow Word: Death now always generates a Shadow Orb, regardless of cooldown reset.

Enhanced Stealth Name Changed from Enhanced Master of Subtlety to Enhanced Stealth. Increases the damage bonus of Master of Subtlety by 5%.You deal an additional 5% damage for 6 sec after Stealth breaks.

Major Glyphs

Glyph of Hemorrhaging VeinsYour Sanguinary Veins ability now also increases damage done to targets affected by your Hemorrhage. Major Glyph.Your Hemorrhage also triggers the 20% damage bonus from Sanguinary Vein. Major Glyph.

Glyph of ShadowflameIncreases the movement speed reduction on the Shadowflame effect from your Hand of Gul'dan spell by 20%. Major Glyph.Targets affected by your Hand of Gul'dan damage over time are now also snared by 50%. Major Glyph.

Sudden Death Your autoattack hits have a 10% chance to make your next Execute free andcost no initial Rage and be useable on any target, regardless of health level. Warrior - LvL 45 Talent.

Major Glyphs

Glyph of Die by the Sword While Die by the Sword is active, using OverpowerWild Strike increases its duration by 1 sec and using Wild Strike increases its duration by 0.5 sec per use. Major Glyph.per use. Major Glyph.

Spell Reflection Reduces the cooldown on Spell Reflection by 5 sec. Major Glyph. Instant.This glyph has no effect if combined with the Mass Spell Reflection talent. Major Glyph. Instant.

The Human Spirit has been redesigned. It now increases Versatility, scaling with character level. no longer increases Spirit by 3%, and instead now increases 2 secondary stats by an amount scaling with character level. You can choose which 2 secondary stats it increases. This has not yet been implemented.

Self-Sustainability

Hunter

Survivalist is a new passive ability learned by Survival Hunters at level 10.

Survivalist increases the Hunter's chance to Multistrike by 10%. Additionally, the Hunter gains 15% health over 10 seconds after killing a target.

Class Changes

Death Knight

Blood Changes
Active Mitigation was a very successful design that was inspired by Death Knights' tanking style. However, it went beyond that, and Death Knights themselves were somewhat left behind in that regard. We made several changes to bring up the interactivity of Blood combat. This includes making Death Strike cause healing based on attack power, but be affected by the new Resolve passive (see Tank Vengeance and Resolve above), which gives it the traditional increase from recent damage. Plus, Rune Tap is being significantly improved, to become a strong Active Mitigation button. To tie those together, Blood's Mastery is being changed to affect both the size of the Blood Shield absorb, and the new Rune Shield absorb.

Rune Tap has been redesigned. It now reduces all damage taken by 50% for 3 seconds. now grants an absorption shield equal to 30% of your missing health. It also now has 2 charges, with a 40-second recharge time.

Will of the Necropolis has been redesigned. It now automatically triggers an immediate, free Rune Tap when you take damage that reduces you below 30% health. This effect cannot occur more often than once every 45 seconds. now grants an immediate charge, and makes your next Rune Tap free. However, its damage reduction buff now only lasts 4 seconds (down from 8 seconds).

MiscellaneousConversion was changed to cost different amounts by specialization, instead of reducing Runic Power generation differently by specialization. This way, Runic Power beyond what you spend on Conversion is not penalized.

Conversion no longer has an initial tick, and now costs 15 Runic Power/second for Blood, 20 Runic Power/sec for Frost, and 10 Runic Power/second for Unholy.

Marksmanship Changes
One of our new secondary stats Multistrike, is strikingly similar to the Wild Quiver Mastery for Marksmanship Hunters. To address this similarity, we replaced Wild Quiver with a new Mastery: Sniper Training. Marksmanship Hunters that favored Mastery before will want to favor Multistrike for a similar feel. For their new Mastery, we wanted to add some depth to their moment-to-moment gameplay, and compliment Critical Strike. In order to do that, we brought back the concept of Sniper Training.

We also changed the design of Chimera Shot (and fixed its name), in order to better capture the intended flavor. Finally, we added an interaction between Careful Aim and Rapid Fire (and indirectly Aimed Shot through a Draenor Perk), so as to add a bit more depth to their gameplay.

Chimera Shot has been renamed Chimaera Shot. It is now a two-headed shot that hits two targets, and deals Frost or Nature damage. It no longer heals the Hunter.

Survival Changes
Apart from rotational changes through Ability Pruning, changes for Survival Hunters mostly center on Lock and Load. We changed how Lock and Load is triggered to increase the value of Multistrike, provide gameplay depth and the ability to pool damage more. Also note the new passive ability, Survivalist, which increases multistrike chance by 10%, in order to give Survival Hunters some baseline Multistrike chance.

Survivalist is a new passive ability learned by Survival Hunters at level 10.

Survivalist increases the chance to Multistrike by 10% and the Hunter gains 15% health over 10 seconds after killing a target.

Mage

Ability Consolidation and Refinement

Ignite now deals the same total damage with a 1 second period (down from 2 seconds). Base duration changed to 5 seconds so that duration when refreshed remains 6 seconds.